A bottlenose dolphin linked to the Moray Firth and believed to be dead has been spotted alive near Denmark.
Known as Yoda, and believed to be around 13-years-old, the cetacean is part of the population often sighted off the north-east coast.
However, researchers in Denmark – where the dolphin is known as Delle – say he has been spotted swimming alone near Svendborg over the past year.
Working with researcher Barbara Cheney at Aberdeen University the animal was positively linked to the north-east.
Pictures of his fin were compared to a database of other images which is used to identify dolphins in a similar way as fingerprints can identify unique people.
According to Danish newspaper site FAA.DK experts had believed Yoda was dead.
Speaking to FAA.DK, Barbara said: “There is no doubt. Yoda now lives in Denmark.
“When he disappeared in 2017, I was looking for him with my Scottish colleagues, but no one had seen him.
“Some dolphins from the Moray Firth family were later spotted in Holland, but when I got the pictures from Carl (Kinze), I was in no doubt.
“It was something of a surprise because I actually thought Yoda was dead.”
Yoda was born in the Moray Firth in 2007 to mum Chewbacca and he has a sister Kenobi.